Downame - Puritan-02038 v2

Oat worldly things hinder mé fró attaining heaaerrly ioie4795, the Kingdome of God. And the Apofile Pani agreeing with Epbef S.t. his Lord and Mafter,faith,that the cour:oua perfon which is an idolater,hathno inheritance in the Kingdome of Cbri5t and of God. And this com:neth to pafle,firfl,becaufe few of thole who abound in riches, are effc 5lually called, either becaufe God paffeth by them, and preferreth the poore before them; or becaufe when they are called, they refufe to come,being wholly taken vein their worldly imploiments. Ofthe for- mer,the Apofile Paul faith, that God hath not called the mitohtie in theworld, but the weal¿e and helpeleflè. And more s.Cor.s.24 plainly the Apoflle lames faith, that we are not to refpe& the roch more then the poore (vnleffe alto they be rich in faith and good works) becaufe God bath chafen the poore of this Lames :J. world, that they Jhotrld bee rich so falth, and heires ofthe King - done,whichhe bath pronrifed to them that lout him. Where - upon an ancient concludeth, that if riches were abfolutelie good, God would not haue made fpeciall choice of the ponce to fhnd before him in his one familie. And iffome- Chryrolì.hotn. times he make choice of rich men, it is no wonder; for it is ad pop.hoto. not, that they fhould fltll hold in their hands their great a- mß.tom.4. bundance,but as a wife and mercifhll Phyfition, he maketh choice ofthefe patients, that he may purge them of their lit- perfluities, and free them from that (welling whichmaketh them altogether vnfit to enter intoGods Kingdome. Of the other we hauean example in them, who were inuited to the Mudr.37.3. Kings fupper,who were fo imploied in their worldly affaires, thatthey had no leifitre to come ; whereby is fignifed, that they who let their hearts vpon the earthlymammon, haue notfomuch as any delire tovfe the mcanesof their ovine faluation; but when they are by Gods meffengers inuited and perfwaded hereunto,they pretend worldly excufes, and will not hearken voto them. As therefore the (hip which is too heauily laden,is in greatefi hazard,and mot} vniikely to come fafely tothe defied hauen; becaufe it is in dangertó be purfuedbyypirats,whoare readie to fncke her,and is not fu fit to brooke the feaes, or indure a tempeft, vnit ire fomc of ber burthen be call over booed, and the lightned of het furcharging loade : fo thefe worldly rich men,whoale op- prcfled r